Red-letter day for preschool & elementary

December 19, 2007
This is a red-letter day for many reasons: The last day of the Fall semester. The due date for all faculty to submit their conference summaries and performance continua for mailout to all parents. The last day to claim all lost-and-found articles in the dining room. Christmas program rehearsal for preschool through fifth grade. The Christmas Performance at 6:00pm. And the day before Christmas break!

It’s also been a week or so of holiday celebrations and community building.  The preschoolers and their families gathered in their classrooms for a potluck breakfast on Tuesday, and as I write this letter, students in a multiage classroom of third and fourth graders are having their own breakfast. I think the parents who are invited to their children’s class celebrations really appreciate interacting with other families.  


We’re pleased to announce that the multiage first and second graders in Ms. Field’s and Ms. Revard’s classrooms raised $339 for the Heifer Foundation, a noteworthy international organization that helps millions of families in many countries to build sustainable communities through global initiatives to teach environmentally sound agricultural techniques, provide training in animal management, and bringing an end to world hunger. Many thanks to the children and their parents for donating the splendid variety of baked goods. The students served as cashiers, an opportunity for a real-life application of money skills. Check out the Heifer International website at www.heifer.org.

We have a busy semester ahead as we formally begin our work on the accreditation of MPI (last accreditation was 6 years ago).  I’ll be providing more information along the way of this year-long process of intensive review and reflection about MPI’s educational mission and the effectiveness of our implementation of the school’s goals.  As members of the MPI community, parents will also be included in the review process.  We’ll begin preparations for MPI’s opera production celebrating our 100th year in Manoa.  We’ll also be busy with admissions (prospective applicants to MPI) during the months of January through March.  

Enclosed in today’s packet is the January school calendar and information about a Chinese and Spanish language class offered in the afterschool program.  The multiage third and fourth graders have a memo on their trip to Camp Erdman in January.

During the Christmas break, the preschool/elementary office will remain open daily, except December 25 and January 1, 7:00am – 3:30pm.  It will also be closing midday on December 24 and December 31. The faculty return on January 4 for in-service, meetings, and classroom preparations. The next preschool/elementary posting on this website will resume the week our students return to school beginning January 8.  

Thank you, parents, for all the low-calorie (in our dreams!) goodies on the faculty workroom table during the holiday season.  We have appreciated the tasty pick-me-ups for a quick burst of energy. We are always overwhelmed by your generosity and thoughtfulness.

The faculty and staff of the preschool and elementary extend our very best wishes to you and your families for a happy Christmas and joyous New Year.  Be safe.  Enjoy the gift of your children.  


For our children, a peace-filled future,


Edna L. Hussey
Principal



 

 



 

Posted on December 19, 2007 10:25 AM | Permalink